Poison putting wildlife in peril

CARBOFURAN, the systemic soil applied insecticide and nematicide contained in Rampart, Tripart Nex and Yaltox, is still being used to poison wildlife deliberately, particularly birds of prey.

Latest figures show 60 incidents involving carbamate compounds were investigated under the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme in 1997. Of those 26 proved to be deliberate abuse of carbofuran, says The Pesticides Register, the official publication of the Pesticides Safety Directorate and Health and Safety Executive.

Such incidents are on the up, particularly in Scotland, it adds.

As part of the Campaign Against Illegal Poisoning of Animals trade association UKASTA has alerted its members to the problem. Distribu-tors have been asked to ensure product is sold to growers involved in appropriate crops andfor label uses only. the poisons register must also be completed. &#42